


Right Now

by sanctuary_for_all



Category: Magnum P.I. (TV 2018)
Genre: But I don't have the right jumpoff point yet and we all needed this SO MUCH, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Future Fic, Listen I will write them a get-together fic this season if it kills all three of us, The inside of Juliette's head is a little angsty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-07
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-13 03:00:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29894601
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sanctuary_for_all/pseuds/sanctuary_for_all
Summary: Juliette watches Thomas sleep. (Established relationship future fic)
Relationships: Juliet Higgins/Thomas Sullivan Magnum IV
Comments: 7
Kudos: 59





	Right Now

Juliette knew she used words as a shield for herself, the more syllables the better. It was all the more obvious in moments like this, when there was no need for a single one of them. There was only her, and Thomas, and more emotion than even the largest words in her repertoire could possibly contain.

The reason why words were useless was the same reason why, technically, there was no witness to her utter defenselessness. Thomas was still asleep, a not uncommon state of affairs at this particular time of morning, and normally Juliette would either start her own day or wake him up so he could persuade her to stay in bed longer. He was very good at persuasion, so she’d secretly adjusted her schedule to give him more time to do just that.

Occasionally, though, she let herself just watch Thomas sleep. He looked younger with his eyes closed, features open and relaxed in a way that made you realize how rarely he looked like this when he was awake. On those mornings when he ended up on his stomach, face buried in the pillow – a rare occurrence these days, now that most of their nights were spent in the same bed – the light filtering in through the windows made his dark hair gleam. Today he was on his back, and that same light added a particular warm glow to his bronze skin and highlighted the planes of his face like a particularly attentive painter.

Juliette, braced on one elbow to get a better view, carefully catalogued each and every one of these details with the same sort of attentiveness. She watched him far more often than she should, a fact that hadn’t changed with their relationship status, but it was rare that she could do so without fear of being caught.

She ghosted her fingers lightly over the curve of his forehead and down the slope of his nose, careful not to actually touch his skin. She had every right to touch him, as much as she wished, but if she did there was too much of a chance he would wake up. If he did that, he would be able to read the emotion in her eyes all too well. If he did, there was too much of a chance he would ask what was wrong.

Nothing was wrong, not really. But she didn’t have the words to explain further than that, the tightness she sometimes got at the back of her throat that said she needed to memorize his face in as much detail as possible. That there were certain moments she needed to etch into her brain as deeply as she could, until they were so clear she could take them out and turn them over like a precious stone. A piece of Thomas, that would be with her even if he… if the worst should happen.

Her chest tightened as she watched him breathe, far too much emotion clogging her throat to even be embarrassed by that fact. She knew she would survive losing him, because she was too good at surviving to do anything else. But if that day came, if all of her skill and intelligence wasn’t enough to protect the person who mattered most (or if he was out there alone, too far away for her to do anything at all), she already knew there would never be anyone else. It had taken every ounce of bravery she possessed to risk her battered heart a second time, to let herself love Thomas the way they both deserved. Without him, there wouldn’t be enough of her left to try for a third.

But she would have this, and as many moments as she could store away. It wouldn’t be enough, not nearly, but it would—

Thomas carefully opened one eye, looking up at her. “You’re not watching me sleep, are you?”

Her lips curved without her intending them to, which happened quite frequently when it came to Thomas. “Of course not. I would never do anything so ridiculously sentimental.”

“Of course not.” He shifted toward her a little, hand lifting to trail his knuckles down her bare arm. His expression went soft. “You okay? You look like you’ve been thinking some pretty serious thoughts.”

In the old days, when she had tried so much harder to protect herself from him, that would have been the perfect opening to make a comment about how Thomas had never had a serious thought in his life. Initially she would have believed it, and later it would have been a pinprick remind her on her own heart to not let herself be too vulnerable. She might make a similar comment even now, at least when they were both out in the world, though now there would be enough affection in her face and voice to make it a joke between them. A silent, warm acknowledgement that he used words as just as much of a shield as she did, though he chose a different approach to do it.

Now, though, the tightness in her throat wouldn’t let her joke. “You should know,” she said gently. “You’re as prone to excessively serious thoughts as I am.”

“Shhh.” He shifted his hand, thumb stroking back and forth over his skin. “That’s supposed to be a secret.”

The tightness eased, lips curving upward again. “Lucky for you, I am particularly good at keeping secrets.”

“Yes, you are.” He moved his hand only to push himself up on his own elbow, all the tenderness in the world in his eyes. He lifted his free hand to brush the hair back from her face, tucking it gently behind her ear. “Seriously, though – are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yes.” Her own hand moved to his waist, finding purchase on warm, bare skin. The thought was far too fanciful to admit out loud, but sometimes she swore she could feel his warmth against her hand even after she stopped touching him. “Right now, everything is right in my small world.”

“Right now.” His expression sobered briefly, like he could understand everything she hadn’t said. Since it was Magnum, there was an alarmingly good chance he could.

She tightened her hold on him just a little, feeling her own expression soften. “Sometimes, right now is all we have.”

“That is very true.” Then he put on that deliberately cocky expression of his, waggling his eyebrows suggestively. “I’m pretty sure I could make it more right, though.”

She raised her own eyebrow, lips curving. “Oh, could you? I’m afraid I’m going to need to see some evidence of that.”

“I’d be happy to provide it.” He leaned in for a kiss, slow and sweet, and Magnum’s warmth stole through her to curl into a sweet lick of heat. She pressed into him, letting herself fall into it, and ignored the part of her desperately trying to memorize the feeling of this as well.

When they broke apart, however, his lips skimmed along her jawline. “I watch you, too,” he whispered, and her eyes stung at the impossible, aching wash of love that blossomed inside her chest.

There were no words for this, either, but as their mouths found each other again there didn’t need to be.

**Author's Note:**

> Come check out my [original fiction,](https://jennifferwardell.wixsite.com/mybooks) my [blog,](http://jennifferwardell.blogspot.com) or say hi to me on [Tumblr](http://sanctuaryforalluniverses.tumblr.com)!


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